Prince Harry and King Charles need to have a frank and open discussion to confront their issues before the drama between the Palace and the Sussexes becomes "poisonous", a royal watcher has warned.
Jennie Bond, former longtime royal correspondent, told The Mirror that while it is not known what the atmosphere during their conversations has been like, it seems to her that "father and son need to have a full, gloves-off, heart-to-heart".
Surprise return to the UK
The Duke and his wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, made a surprise return to the UK late last month, reigniting speculation about the state of their relationship with the Royal Family.
The mood between the two camps is thought to have been tense in the years since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in early 2020, setting out to make a new life for themselves in the United States. The pair sparked international headlines with their public criticism of their experience within the institution, with Harry discussing friction with senior members of the firm.
Harry's so-far-unsuccessful efforts to have his automatic armed police protection restored are also thought to be a sticking point. Harry lost that level of security provision after he stepped back from frontline royal duties.
Palace letter rules out return
Some may have assumed that Harry and Meghan's return to Britain for an "extended period", with their children being schooled here, potentially signalled a welcoming back into the royal fold. But any prospect of that appeared to be ruled out by a blunt letter from the Palace, reaffirming that they are not working royals.
The guidance, written by senior palace official Lord Benyon on the King's behalf, was sent to senior officials in the Government and military, as well as the Sussexes themselves. It stated that the pair are "no longer working Members of The Royal Family" and that there is "no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex".
The letter added that "their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used", and that the "charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity". It said the pair's position is "akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests", and that any "operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant Police authorities".
Reaction and security review
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said the couple were "a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance". It is believed their team only received the letter about an hour before it was sent, and that their surprise was in reference to how little time they had to respond, BBC News reports.
The Telegraph said Palace sources queried why the Sussexes would need to be consulted on it, saying the letter contained nothing "controversial or new". PEOPLE quoted a source said to be close to the couple as saying that they are "public figures", suggesting they face pressures private citizens don't. "Members of the public know who they are. The idea that they can live a normal, 'private' life is sadly not realistic," they added.
RAVEC, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, is believed to be reviewing security provisions for the Sussexes now that they are living in the UK again.
Ms Bond says she gets the impression that the meetings Harry and the King have had so far have been polite encounters that probably don't focus on the things that have seemingly divided them. She suggests a "frank – even angry – conversation might help clear the air" as it will "all become poisonous" if they're not careful, adding that the drama surrounding the family needs to stop.
